6 Who Do You Say I Am? Series

Introduction – The Question that Changes Everything

(Visual: Hold up a blank name badge or write “Hello, my name is _______.”)

We use name badges to help people know who we are.

Sometimes we do so in

a new group, a workplace, or at church.

It saves that awkward, “I’ve met you before but can’t remember your name” moment!

But names aren’t just labels — they reveal identity.

And today we come to one of the most important questions ever asked:

“Who do you say I am?”

Jesus asked this question in a place called Caesarea Philippi.

It’s a city filled with temples and idols, a crossroads of culture and belief.

Everywhere you looked, there were

• names of gods,

• statues of power,

• symbols of wealth and ambition.

It’s in that setting, Jesus turns to His disciples and asks the question that still echoes through history.

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1. The Question that Changes Everything (v. 27)

Jesus begins gently: “Who do people say I am?”

It’s a question that needs to be asked today to bring about a discussion with those around us.

“Who do people say Jesus is?”

The answers came quickly: “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets.”

Everyone has an opinion about Jesus

— but few truly know Him.

It’s much the same today.

Ask people who Jesus is, and you’ll hear all kinds of answers:

• “A good moral teacher.”

• “A prophet.”

• “A revolutionary.”

• “A fraud”

• “A legend.”

• “Someone my grandparents believed in.”

People know about Jesus — but they don’t necessarily know Him.

Even among Christians, we can easily slip into a comfortable version of Jesus: kind, gentle, inspirational — but not the one who calls us to surrender our lives.

And then Jesus turns the question from public opinion to personal confession:

“But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

It’s a good strategy in getting a conversation about Christ…

“What do people say about Jesus?” . . . . .

“ok, so what about you?

What do you think about Jesus?”

Start with public opinion and move to personal opinion.

We can’t live off second-hand belief or borrowed convictions.

Each of us must answer for ourselves — and that answer shapes everything else.

Mention Jesus to some, and you get:

fairy tale, never existed, manipulator, deceiver . .

often because they have never REALLY looked into the person of Jesus for themselves.

Application:

As followers of Jesus, we need to understand how the world around us sees Him.

That helps us share the truth with gentleness and clarity.

We can help talk through what people who knew Him witnessed from the bible, AND

we can give our own experiences of Jesus in our lives, making sure that we live in such a way that our lives reveal who Jesus really is.

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2. The Right Answer from the Right Heart (v. 29)

Peter answers boldly: “You are the Christ.”

He gets it stop on — at least in his words.

Jesus is the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah.

But Peter’s understanding of “Messiah” is still mixed up with cultural expectations — power, victory, a political kingdom.

Jesus, however, is heading toward the cross.

Peter sees the crown but not the cost.

It’s possible

• to have the right theology but the wrong expectation.

• To say the right thing about Jesus but still not understand what it means to follow Him.

Many today would say they “believe in Jesus,” but often it’s a Jesus shaped by comfort rather than commitment.

The real Jesus doesn’t just bless our lives — He transforms them.

He doesn’t fit neatly into our plans — He calls us to join His.

We can have the right answer, but

Jesus is looking for the right heart.

Application:

True discipleship

isn’t just about recognising Jesus’ title —

it’s about surrendering to His lordship.

Faith starts with revelation but grows through relationship.

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3. The Turning Point of Discipleship (v. 30)

This moment in Mark’s Gospel (chapter 8) is a turning point — not just for the disciples, but for us.

Having asked that question, and got a clear answer - From this point, Jesus begins the journey to Jerusalem, where He will reveal what kind of Messiah He truly is:

a suffering Saviour, not a conquering general.

For Peter and the others, this is the moment faith becomes costly.

It’s no longer about watching Jesus perform miracles — it’s about following Him on the road of sacrifice.

And it’s the same for us.

Faith that costs nothing changes nothing.

Jesus calls us not just to admire Him, but to align with Him — to live under His authority and for His glory.

Application:

Every disciple reaches this turning point —